Women Who Build: Business Projects from Latvia

In 2008, during the economic crisis, Līva Jaunozola lost her job and started organizing small clothing sales with friends—simply to refresh their wardrobes without overspending. That idea grew into Andele Mandele—one of Latvia’s best-known resale platforms, with offline markets drawing hundreds of participants and a fully developed online marketplace. The project grew without foreign investment—on local support and a community that Līva has been building for sixteen years.

Inga Muižniece founded Sonido—a social enterprise and call centre that employs people with disabilities. The business is built on the principles of inclusion and equal opportunity. Alongside it, she launched Parunāsim—a support initiative for people who need to be heard. Both projects demonstrate that social mission and financial sustainability can coexist.

Arina Lindanen founded Vilki Books in 2015—an independent bookshop on Antonijas Street that has become one of Riga’s most beloved spots. It sells books for children and adults, hosts events, and builds a community around reading. Vilki is an example of how a small project with character holds its ground and grows in a city where bookshops are becoming increasingly rare.

SeoVillage began as a personal dream: a house by the lake for a husband who loved fishing. Marina Volkova and her husband found a seven-hectare plot near Riga and built first five guest houses, then a restaurant and a spa. The project is still growing: a 300-seat restaurant with Michelin green star ambitions and a bathhouse complex are currently under construction. Marina also runs a yoga studio in Riga.

In 2008, Olga Grigorenko and her husband came up with Pranamat—massage mats with signature lotus-shaped elements. What started as a small Latvian startup has grown into a global brand: today the mats are sold in more than 20 countries, while production remains in Riga. Olga says the most important thing the mat offers isn’t just a healthy back—it’s the chance to stop and be with yourself.

Regina Renjute started out selling handmade earrings at school—and already knew back then that she would work for herself. Today she runs Rebel Tattoo Studio—one of Riga’s most distinctive tattoo studios, with an all-female team. The bright, aesthetically considered space in the Quiet Centre is a deliberate break from the stereotype of dark basements and rock music. Regina believes that female energy in the tattoo industry is a strength, not an exception.

Marta Šulce, a pharmacist by training, founded SILMACHY after moving from Riga to the countryside and starting to think differently about waste and product ingredients. The brand produces solid plant-based cosmetics in home-compostable packaging: shampoos, soaps, deodorants, and moisturizers. The products have received international awards in the field of natural cosmetics and are available on international platforms, including Wolf & Badger.

MÁDARA is one of Latvia’s most recognized cosmetics brands. Founded by a group of women entrepreneurs, it has grown into an international business with organic certification and export to dozens of countries. The brand has become a benchmark for how a Latvian company can successfully compete in the global natural cosmetics market.

Elena Zakharenko opened Glückauf bakery at the height of the pandemic—in a small side street in Riga’s Quiet Centre. Everything here is baked on sourdough, using German and French recipes that Elena refined during courses in Spain, France, and Germany. The bakery is open two days a week—exactly enough to do everything with pleasure. Today Glückauf also runs Bread Therapy: meditative baking sessions for anyone who needs to slow down.

In 2020, the three entrepreneurs founded Fermentful—a startup working with fermented plant ingredients, including green buckwheat. The project develops the functional drinks segment and reflects the growing interest in probiotics and plant-based nutrition.

Darja Grabar and her husband started brewing kombucha in the wardrobe of their Riga apartment. Today the products are exported to several European countries. The company actively collaborates with local gastronomic projects and is building a culture of fermented drinks across the Baltics.

Kristīne Štikāne founded Gutopia—a brand of fermented plant-based products: kefir, cheeses, and other items built around the idea of healthy and sustainable nutrition. Gutopia sits at the intersection of gastronomy and conscious consumption—a space that is still taking shape in Latvia.